B+ BATTERY CABLE AT STARTER SOLENOID SHORTED TO STARTER CASE AND GROUNDED. CAUSING A FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAR SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE WENT OFF, LIGHTS WENT OUT ALL IN AN INSTANT. EMERGENCY FLASHERS WERE INOPERATIVE. PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE ON FIRE. EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. DISCONNECTED THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL ON THE BATTERY LOCATED IN THE TRUNK, CAR TOWED TO DEALER, IN PROCESS OF REPAIR. *TR